About the JDT

The Jura Development Trust is an organisation set up by local residents to help improve the quality of life on the island and to ensure that we can influence future developments which will affect us all. It is a community company limited by guarantee with charitable status. This means that we can operate as a business supporting the island, but can attract money from charitable and private sector organisations as well as statutory agencies.
The Trust was formed to help local people work together to ensure that the social and economic development of the island is successful and sustainable. Action must be taken to address issues such as housing, tourism, more support for business and to balance the ever increasing demands on our superb natural environment. The Jura Development Trust is a community organisation operating as a charitable company limited by guarantee.

Our team

Current Staff

Heather Cameron

Heather is employed by the JDT although funded by the council as Administrator of the Service Point. The Service point is open from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm weekdays and provides a range of office services and free wireless internet access and is also the Registrar office. Heather is the Registrar for Jura.

Fiona MacDonald

Fiona works part time as Account’s Clerk. Along with day to day accounting for the Trust she works with The JDT accountant to prepare the end of year accounts and all necessary returns.

Sarah Compton Bishop

Keith Compton Bishop

Alex Dunnachie

Abby Beastall

Deborah Bryce

Angus Paton

Become a member

Membership is free! Just complete a form for the year. Forms are available at the service point or from the community shop as well as online.

The Jura Development Trust is owned by its members; so far about 80 people have signed up to support the Trust. From these members, volunteers are elected as Directors of the Company. New directors are elected at the AGM. The trust employs four people on the island funded by the Argyll and Bute Council and a number of charitable foundations.

The Trust can lobby on your behalf to get more funding for the island and can make representations to local and national government and other statutory bodies. Clearly the more local people involved the stronger is our voice. The Trust is there for you, so when you join you can make sure that your ideas are considered. So far the Trust has:-

Been awarded a grant from the The Heritage Lottery Fund, Argyll and the Islands Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage to carry out a tourism project which includes producing a full colour leaflet with accommodation insert, design a new website, provide wooden signage and welcome sign and Interpretation cairns, designed and printed posters for display on the mainland ferry, in tourist board offices and other areas used by tourists.

Purchased The Antlers building and site on behalf of the community with funding from The Scottish Land Unit. Funding from The Big Lotterty, HIE – Argyll and the Islands, LEADER, The Moffat Charitable Trust and a number of others allowed for the redevelopment of the building and site into a Bistro/Restaurant, Craft Sales and a display of Jura Life.

Secured funding from The Community Land Unite, HIE – Argyll and the Islands, Argyll and Bute Council and The Crown Estate enabling The Trust to purchase the small stone pier and install landing pontoons and add a further 8 moorings to the expositing 8 ones transferred from Argyll and Bute Council.
This project helped provide an infrastructure for the operation of the Jura Passenger Ferry for a 3 year trial.

Worked with Argyll & Bute Council to provide a Service Point on Jura to improve access to public services. This facility is available for video conferencing, surfing the net, further education and a lots of other activities.

We carried out a Housing Survey which has led to discussions with Communities Scotland on provision of new housing for the island. Plans for new houses are underway and we will continue this work.

Secured funding to deliver an eradication of Japanese knotweed and Mink.

Secured funding for improvements to the pier head picnic area.

Secured funding to purchase a community marquee, generator, trailer and lighting.

Also we aim to help individuals on the island who have ideas for starting a business to develop the necessary plans, apply for funding and to help them establish their business. No doubt you have your own ideas about other things that we could be doing, so why not join us and help to get them implemented?
The trust has been established as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status.
Full membership is available to individuals who are resident on Jura and have had their main residence on the island for at least 1 year. Associate membership is open to all individuals and organisations that have an interest in Jura but do not qualify as full members. Only full membership carries voting rights.
Membership forms are available in the service point and the Community shop; Just complete the form and return to the shop, service point or by post to the address on the form. We look forward to welcoming you as a member.

Company objects incorporated in the articles of association

To provide in the interests of social welfare, facilities for recreation and other leisure time activity to the residents of Jura with a view to improving their conditions of life.

To advance education.

To preserve, conserve, restore and improve the environment.

To provide or assist in the provision of, housing for persons on Jura in necessitous circumstances.

To promote trade and industry for the benefit of the general public.

To promote, establish, operate and / or support other schemes and projects of a charitable nature.